Devils discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part II

[Forge]

I just don't see them running it back with Kahkonen and Allen. Fitz has been pretty upfront about this entire thing, and frankly, doesn't seem like he ever had any interest in Kahkonen ever being more than a guy who could finish out last season for the tea. Very minimal chance of Kahk / Allen happening in my opinion. Hell, I think it's more likely John Gibson is the Devils' goalie next year than Kahkonen.

We can certainly debate the merits of such a plan and decision, but for me, it just kind of is what it is. I just don't see Kahkonen coming back so I'm not going to waste a ton of bandwidth on it right now.

I don't mind bringing Markstrom in at all, but it's got to be at an acceptable price.

 

[SEALBound]

Truthfully, I missed the "dawson" in there I only saw Daws.

Yes, jesus, I just saw my OP.

It was NOT 10OV, Mercer, Daws/Schmid. The "Dawson" part was an autofill on the phone, I think. The trade proposal was:

Jarry + Phi 2nd + Pit 2nd for 10ov + whichever goalie you were least high on, presumably Daws or Schmid (I figured since you traded for Allen that the org made the determination that these two were not part of the future solution).

Mercer was not part of it. I figured getting a starting goalie NOW would be a higher priority than what the 10ov could provide you in 2-3 years (presumably). And you're still getting 2 2nds out of it. I didn't think it was a bad proposal.

 

[HBK27]

A 2 year bridge deal for Mercer sounds about right.

The NHL's top 15 restricted free agents and what their next contracts might look like

While a lot of focus will be on unrestricted free agents soon, there is a skilled class of restricted free agents worth keeping an eye on.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I definitely think Mercer should be bridged. I'm not sure he's a long term fixture on this team, and giving him an 8 year extension is not a no brainer like it is with say Luke Hughes this offseason or Nemec in a year, as they are going to be core players and Mercer might top out as a complimentary one.

 

[theoptimist]

Maybe because he said this ?
BUFFALO -- The New Jersey Devils are willing to trade the No. 10 pick in the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft for the right price.

"If we feel it helps us now and in the foreseeable future, then, yes, I'm listening," New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald told NHL.com on Monday during a break from interviews at the NHL Scouting Combine. "I haven't gotten anything yet but the more I talk to teams, I say 'Listen, I'm open to moving No. 10, but it's going to have to be something (significant).'"

The bolded statement is the introductory paragraph or maybe even the title of the article. Unfortunately, it does not fully explain Fitz quotes directly below, in what is either the first or second paragraph of the article.

There are 3 truths:
1) NJD has the #10 overall pick
2) NJD is in the market for a goalie
3) Fitz says he is willing to trade the #10 pick if it helps now and the future

Social media has taken these three things and conflated them to mean "NJD will trade the #10 overall for a goalie because they need a goalie to make the playoffs next season."

 

[JrFischer54]

I definitely think Mercer should be bridged. I'm not sure he's a long term fixture on this team, and giving him an 8 year extension is not a no brainer like it is with say Luke Hughes this offseason or Nemec in a year, as they are going to be core players and Mercer might top out as a complimentary one.

i think thats crazy hes definitely a fixture on the team but it is funny that management might feel the same way as you yet people on here are already putting #10 down for a role and production in year two lol

 

[Devs3cups]

I definitely think Mercer should be bridged. I'm not sure he's a long term fixture on this team, and giving him an 8 year extension is not a no brainer like it is with say Luke Hughes this offseason or Nemec in a year, as they are going to be core players and Mercer might top out as a complimentary one.

We thinking Luke gets his extension this off-season? I’m not sure.

 

[Saugus]

Yes, jesus, I just saw my OP.

It was NOT 10OV, Mercer, Daws/Schmid. The "Dawson" part was an autofill on the phone, I think. The trade proposal was:

Jarry + Phi 2nd + Pit 2nd for 10ov + whichever goalie you were least high on, presumably Daws or Schmid (I figured since you traded for Allen that the org made the determination that these two were not part of the future solution).

Mercer was not part of it. I figured getting a starting goalie NOW would be a higher priority than what the 10ov could provide you in 2-3 years (presumably). And you're still getting 2 2nds out of it. I didn't think it was a bad proposal.

It's still a no. I have a hard time thinking that we will trade the #10 pick for goaltending, regardless of the other pieces involved.

If we're wrong and the pick is in play for a goalie, it's going to be for a better goalie than Jarry. Personally, Askarov or Swayman would be about the only guys I would trade it for, and there's no indication either is available.

Daws and Schmid may not be viewed as the answer for next season, but I also don't think they are getting run out of the organization. Management seems to regret throwing them into the fire so much last season, and is willing to let them develop in the AHL for longer before trying again.

 

[tailfins]

did you not see how demoralized the team was after the first softie of the night would go in? if they run it back with them sure it could work but it could very well implode again and you just waste another year and for what? because you dont want to spend to get a goalie? so you go into next summer with the same issue do you then want to finally spend? sure any goalie can blow up if they trade for them thats the risk you take. the devils went the cheap route once with vitek and schmid and it backfired. want to roll the dice again on allen and kapo? eh

I get it. I think it's a real issue that Fitz is facing: how many time can his "roll the dice on goalie" strategy fail before it goes from bad luck (not his fault) to a bad plan (his fault).

But, I also think people (specifically ownership) should recognize that Fitz is working from an existing base. This team was built from the forwards in, not the net out. In a hard cap league, it's hard to have everything.

IMO, one reason that the team got demoralized is that the skaters understood they shared in the blame for the goal. We can say "not every high danger chance has to be a goal." But, many of those high danger chances didn't need to be given up.

Yes, the goaltending shouldn't let in muffins. But, this team was built to outscore other teams. If they limit their mistakes and have someone in net who can make the routine saves, I think they'll do fine.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I definitely think Mercer should be bridged. I'm not sure he's a long term fixture on this team, and giving him an 8 year extension is not a no brainer like it is with say Luke Hughes this offseason or Nemec in a year, as they are going to be core players and Mercer might top out as a complimentary one.

If you can go longer term with him though at a good number, that's an asset that is a nice piece to use in a trade.

Teams like trading for assets they know they have control of for a number of years.

 

[bossram]

I just don't see them running it back with Kahkonen and Allen. Fitz has been pretty upfront about this entire thing, and frankly, doesn't seem like he ever had any interest in Kahkonen ever being more than a guy who could finish out last season for the tea. Very minimal chance of Kahk / Allen happening in my opinion. Hell, I think it's more likely John Gibson is the Devils' goalie next year than Kahkonen.

We can certainly debate the merits of such a plan and decision, but for me, it just kind of is what it is. I just don't see Kahkonen coming back so I'm not going to waste a ton of bandwidth on it right now.

I don't mind bringing Markstrom in at all, but it's got to be at an acceptable price.

I would waaaaaaaaay rather run Kahkonen than Gibson.

Pay assets and a huge AAV to a goalie who's declining and not really good anyway? Why?

Markstrom is also an awful plan. He falls apart by the end of every season and pretty much never follows up a good season with another one. I would only bring him on if he was pretty much free.

 

[CalamityX23]

filling the biggest hole on this team and making the playoffs aren't minor returns.

Filling the hole isn't a playoff guarantee right now

Markstrom to me is a minor change

 

[JrFischer54]

Filling the hole isn't a playoff guarantee right now

Markstrom to me is a minor change

compared to going into the season with vitek last year? markstrom is lightyears better

 

[Normal Devil]

Anyone think we might be better off to just sign a younger guy like Ilya Samsonov in free agency as compared to parting with player and/or draft assets? He stunk it up last year, but was really good the previous season. He's also just 27.

 

[Forge]

I would waaaaaaaaay rather run Kahkonen than Gibson.

Pay assets and a huge AAV to a goalie who's declining and not really good anyway? Why?

Markstrom is also an awful plan. He falls apart by the end of every season and pretty much never follows up a good season with another one. I would only bring him on if he was pretty much free.

I'm sure everyone here would rather have kahkonen than Gibson. I know I would. But the devils have apparently kicked the tires on him before, and for some absolutely unknown reason, Gibson continues to have this hold on the league that I just don't understand and Fitz has not displayed any indication that Kahkonen was anything more than a fill in for the rest of the year.

 

[Goptor]

Anyone think we might be better off to just sign a younger guy like Ilya Samsonov in free agency as compared to parting with player and/or draft assets? He stunk it up last year, but was really good the previous season. He's also just 27.

The Capitals GM said that he offered both goalies to NJ for the same price and we took Vanacek over him.

There wasn't interest 3 years ago, I don't think there is any interest now.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

We thinking Luke gets his extension this off-season? I’m not sure.

I'm sure the team wants to. It's in Luke's hands imo, they would give him 8m aav over 8 years I think without blinking.

If you can go longer term with him though at a good number, that's an asset that is a nice piece to use in a trade.

Teams like trading for assets they know they have control of for a number of years.

You might get more trading him as an RFA that a team then extends though than as a guy with 3 more years until UFA.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Markstrom is also an awful plan. He falls apart by the end of every season and pretty much never follows up a good season with another one. I would only bring him on if he was pretty much free.

He is a good although inconsistent goalie. He had a great high danger scoring chance saving percentage. That works well with the Devils system.

Markström gets too much criticism here, and he is a good option for the Devils as long as the price is right and Fitzgerald doesn't overpay for him.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5286392/2024/02/20/jacob-markstrom-devils-flames/

 

[Forge]

I'm sure the team wants to. It's in Luke's hands imo, they would give him 8m aav over 8 years I think without blinking.

I'd be curious if Luke wants a deal that extends beyond when Jack is scheduled to hit the market.

I think the brothers thing is overplayed at times, but I could also see how they would want to be up at the same time and evaluate from there.

 

[Normal Devil]

The Capitals GM said that he offered both goalies to NJ for the same price and we took Vanacek over him.

There wasn't interest 3 years ago, I don't think there is any interest now.

Didn't know that .. Always kind of thought Samsonov probably had a slight edge in talent over VV. Wouldn't be an ideal signing anyway .. just not super stoked over giving up a ton of assets to get a Markstrom or Ullmark. If we are truly going big game hunting it should be Saros, but that's going cost a ton. We are in a rough spot.

 

[Bleedred]

Filling the hole isn't a playoff guarantee right now

Markstrom to me is a minor change

Markstrojm + Sheldon Keefe over Travis Green is a MAJOR change.

If we added Markstrom to Travis Green coming back for next year, then yeah we're nowhere near a playoff lock. We're probably playoff MISS lock, barring Vezina level Markstrom. We're looking at following up with yet another 80 point season, even with improved goaltending, because Travis Green completely NUKED this team after he took over and had solid goaltending compared to what Lindy was getting.

God Save Ottawa.

 

[Goptor]

I'd be curious if Luke wants a deal that extends beyond when Jack is scheduled to hit the market.

I think the brothers thing is overplayed at times, but I could also see how they would want to be up at the same time and evaluate from there.

Won't Luke still be an RFA the offseason that Jack's contract comes up?

 

[Forge]

Won't Luke still be an RFA the offseason that Jack's contract comes up?

I don't think so. Jack has 6 years left. 6 more years for Luke + last year gives him 7 years accrued and UFA status.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

yeah, they absolutely cannot go into the season with Allen and Kahkonen again....that would be a failure.

I don't think that is even a remote possibility though given what Fitz said about Kahk when we got him

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

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